Monday, November 2, 2009

99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall

Do you remember the old school bus song, 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall? I doubt they sing that on school road trips anymore. Or if they do, in order to be politically correct, the subject has been changed to a syrupy drink instead of beer. It doesn't sound right to say, 99 Bottles of Pepsi on the Wall. It just doesn't flow for me. I don't know what was more boring: the bus rides or the repetition of the song. I bring it up because I'm at a point in the peacock shawl where I'd rather poke myself in the eyes with my Addi turbo needles than knit one more never ending row of lace. Those charming return purl rows I was lauding the other day? I take it all back. They take forever, too.

I've completed 42 % of the rows, but don't go getting excited because I've only used 26 % of the yarn. That means I'm only about a quarter of the way through this in a week's time. And that is the problem with shawls. They grow and grow and grow until the blob is too heavy to knit for any length of time and my little knitter's pea brain is led astray. In a few more rows, it's about to double in stitches again and then it's going to take me for-freaking-ever to get through one row.

I think I could use one of those beers right about now.

10 comments:

Stephanie V said...

Amen to that. And yet we continue to knit these shawls. What is it that makes knitters such gluttons for punishment? Maybe the beauty of the finished product?

Jane said...

It's definitely for the beauty at the end. Hope you have something light to do to break it up

Rose said...

Yeah, but look at that staycation to-do list again; you crossed an awful lot off of it. Pat yourself on the back and have one of those beers. Heck, have two!

Anonymous said...

I have yet to knit a shawl as big as that, but given that my hands have limited tolerance for extended knitting, I can just imagine how slowly it would go for me. By the end of Diamond Fantasy, I was down to only two rows a day. That ain't much for a shawl.

Brenda said...

That song would be fitting for the project. I know it will be a beauty when finished.

The Crusty Crone said...

hahahahahaha

Anonymous said...

i love me some '99 bottles of beer on the wall' :) does that make me wierd? used to sing it, even off of school buses! (sorry about the shawl frustrations..)for some reason blogger isn't accepting my password...the hell? so i'm anonymous for now...lisa (itsnotwhatitalwaysseems.blogspot.com)

Rositta said...

That is exactly the reason why I don't knit lace... I couldn't stand it, I'd go insane. Bad enough to knit a shawl with thick wool but at least it goes faster. You have my sympathy (sort of)...ciao

Gail said...

Remember Ruby!

Devon said...

Yes... but they are so pretty.